The Range Rover Vogue is like a regal battle tank made for city commutes, suburban excursions and the occasional football championship final.
It costs almost half a million dollars, runs a 5-litre supercharged V8 and boasts the imperial bearing of HMS Ark Royal. But unlike the Royal Navy flagship (recently decommissioned due to defence budget cuts), the Range Rover Vogue is still sailing strongly and playing its part for British sovereignty.
The Range Rover Vogue is truly a king of the road, particularly in its latest Vogue form. Its majestic styling, second only to the Rolls-Royce Phantom in presence, has been tweaked. There are also two new body colours – Fuji White and Baltic Blue. Just the camouflage the loaded explorer needs when climbing a mountain or crossing a sea.
Urban jungles, however, are where the Range Rover Vogue will spend most of its time and energy. With 510bhp and 625Nm from a force-fed 5-litre V8, there is plenty of power to overtake traffic and, if need be, dominate everything else in the vicinity.
This mighty machine doesn’t roll over the tarmac – it steamrollers. Yet, all 2.7 tonnes of this heavy vehicle are controlled by a light steering more appropriate for the Jaguar XJ. The Range Rover Vogue is surprisingly manageable in downtown areas, helped by its expansive windows and all-seeing Surround Camera system. Street kerbs are mere snippets for the 20-inch wheels of this super-SUV, which boasts the ultimate gadget for venturing off the beaten path – Terrain Response.
With press-and-play simplicity, this brilliant four-wheel drive system (enhanced for model year 2011) enables the Rangie to conquer the toughest terra firma while the passengers in their throne-like chairs enjoy the soft leather, spacious surroundings and top-notch amenities.
The on-board entertainment now includes Dual View, which lets the front occupants see different images simultaneously on the same 8-inch touch-screen. So, the left passenger could be watching a National Geographic DVD while the adventurous driver checks out his current geographical latitude.
No other car on earth (or off it) offers the Range Rover Vogue’s combination of ocean liner luxury and speedboat acceleration.But you have to be a millionaire (footballer or otherwise) to afford one. If you’re not, no worries – just turn the page for a trio of more affordable “ranger” SUVs.
Range Rover Vogue 5.0 (A)
ENGINE 5000cc, 32-valves, V8, supercharged
MAX POWER 510bhp at 6000-6500rpm
MAX TORQUE 625Nm at 2500-5500rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 6.2 seconds
TOP SPEED 225km/h
CONSUMPTION 6.7km/L
PRICE INCL. COE $480,000 (as of April 2011)
Group Test: MINI Cooper S Convertible vs Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible
